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Why Isn’t Xiah Junsu On The ‘Immortal Music Classics 2’ Show?

JYJ’s Kim Junsu has already been recognized countless times as the most vocally talented idol in the industry. He has made his mark, not only during Kpop performances, but also through musicals, selling out tens of thousands of tickets, winning the Best Newcomer Award at both The Musical Awards and The Korean Musical Awards and being praised as talented enough to perform in Broadway. He is an outstanding individual whose talent would be wasted to be considered a mere idol who sings hair-raising lyrics such as “I want to be your bed for one day.”

I will not mention the TVXQ split that everyone knows about. Due to it, JYJ’s TV appearances have become a rare sight. Though JYJ member Park Yoochun is appearing in a drama, his work is with an outsourcing company and the recent controversy of his Come To Play and On A Roll appearance cancellations frustrate even those who are not fans, such as myself.

Did they even ask him?
In a way, Kim Junsu, who has been topping surveys on idols’ vocal talents by a wide margin, is a singer most apt and needed for Immortal Music Classics 2, a show with a theme of ‘Shedding new light on idols and classics’. Though it is true that broadcasting companies may be hesitant in recruiting an individual who is at the center of a deep controversy, Kim Junsu is sure to bring more good than harm. He is perfect for promotional marketing at the beginning of the program, the show would get the support of JYJ’s powerful fandom and judging by his talents, he will improve the overall quality of the show.

Of course, it would be understood if he had to decline due to circumstances such as his schedule, but I’d like to know if the broadcasting company even tried to ask him. Could it be that Kim Junsu was denied even a simple request to appear due to the unfair influence of one of Korea’s largest entertainment agencies?

A superstar who can’t even appear on music programs
Just like how YG singers don’t appear on Music Bank, the day when JYJ appear on music programs may be the day that SM singers stop appearing on the same shows. I feel as though JYJ’s performance during the KBS Acting Awards will be the first and last time we see JYJ singing on TV. The fact that JYJ, stars receiving ‘tremendous’ love from all over the world by selling 300,000 albums in one day, holding tours over many countries and attracting 70,000 spectators to the Jamshil Stadium, are unable to appear on music programs that basically anyone with a voice can appear on is quite strange.

Unjust practices must disappear
Similarities can be found between the broadcasting industry, in which success lies in and is altered by the influence of major entertainment companies, and the authority structure of Korea’s enterprise. Both have given birth to a malicious cycle in which the rich keep getting richer while the poor keep getting poorer, with middle standing enterprise disappearing under the tyranny of major corporations and small business having to accept the same tyranny in order to survive. We cannot say this problem is only found in JYJ’s case. If we continue to let the Kpop industry be ruled by a handful of major entertainment agencies, not only will the weak and minority continue to suffer, but the worst-case scenario will hit with the Kpop market losing variety and depth in music content and become a place ruled by shabby, trendy music.

Broadcasting companies need to take a firm stance
If we want to rid the industry of such unjust practices, the broadcasting companies can no longer sit in silence and watch. On the popular SBS drama ‘On Air’, CEO Jin Sang Woo, of the nation’s top entertainment agency SW Entertainment, demands that the script of a drama be changed to give his agency’s actor more scenes six episodes into the drama and when his demands aren’t met, he pulls the actor out of the production completely. The director of the broadcasting company takes a strong stance by banning all SW related persons, actors, singers, managers and coordinators, from appearing on the channel and manages to get the actor to return to the show.

Of course, I am not saying that broadcasting companies should create an uproar like that in the drama. The problem with broadcasting companies is that they refuse to take a firm stance on the issue, and merely choose to sit in silence. Regardless of whether they are for or against JYJ’s plight, broadcasting companies much take a firm stance on whichever side if we wish to rid the industry of these unjust practices.

They don’t even try to hide it. It may be that in 2011, people are still partaking in heinous acts as they did in the past of beheading rebels and hanging the decapitated head on the turret of the castle to say, “If you go against us, you’re dead.” Let’s not act this way. Let’s refrain from acting so crass.